A Massachusetts judge in the US declared Karen Read’s murder trial “mistrial” after jurors deadlocked in the case with no decision despite over 26 hours of deliberation.
The court came to this conclusion after the jurors sent notes to Cannone saying they were hopelessly deadlocked. The judge delivered Tuey-Rodriguez instructions — sometimes referred to as “dynamite” instructions intended to blast apart deadlocked juries in Massachusetts, the Washington Post reported.
Moments after Judge Beverly J Cannone called a mistrial, Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey’s office announced that they intend to retry the case.
The prosecutors said in a statement, “First, we thank the O’Keefe family for their commitment and dedication to this long process. They maintained sight of the true core of this case — to find justice for John O’Keefe. The Commonwealth intends to re-try the case,” according to AP.
According to the prosecutor, Karen Read, who was accused of drunkenly driving into her police officer boyfriend and leaving him to die in January 2022, was drinking with her partner O’Keefe before she dropped him off at a party at the home of Brian Albert, a fellow officer. They said she hit him with her SUV before driving away.
While prosecutors were blaming her for Keefe’s death, the defence lawyers tried to paint her as the victim in the case. The defence said that Keefe was killed inside Albert’s home and then dragged outside and left for dead, reported Washington Post.
They argued that investigators focused on Read because she was a “convenient outsider” who saved them from having to consider other suspects, including Albert and other law enforcement officers at the party.
After the prosecutors said that they will re-try, defense attorney Alan Jackson said, “They failed. They failed miserably, and they’ll continue to fail… No matter how long it takes, no matter how long they keep trying, we will not stop fighting,” AP reported.
The trial, which lasted for two months, centered around police procedures and the connections between those involved. Law enforcement officials admitted to gathering blood evidence using red plastic cups and attempting to remove snow to uncover evidence with a leaf blower. The primary investigator also confessed to sending inappropriate messages about Read from his mobile phone.
Read faced a charge of second-degree murder, which carries a potential life sentence with the possibility of parole in Massachusetts. Additionally, she was accused of lesser offenses, including manslaughter while driving under the influence, which is punishable by five to 20 years in prison, and fleeing the scene of a fatal accident, which can result in a sentence of up to 10 years.
The court came to this conclusion after the jurors sent notes to Cannone saying they were hopelessly deadlocked. The judge delivered Tuey-Rodriguez instructions — sometimes referred to as “dynamite” instructions intended to blast apart deadlocked juries in Massachusetts, the Washington Post reported.
Moments after Judge Beverly J Cannone called a mistrial, Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey’s office announced that they intend to retry the case.
The prosecutors said in a statement, “First, we thank the O’Keefe family for their commitment and dedication to this long process. They maintained sight of the true core of this case — to find justice for John O’Keefe. The Commonwealth intends to re-try the case,” according to AP.
According to the prosecutor, Karen Read, who was accused of drunkenly driving into her police officer boyfriend and leaving him to die in January 2022, was drinking with her partner O’Keefe before she dropped him off at a party at the home of Brian Albert, a fellow officer. They said she hit him with her SUV before driving away.
While prosecutors were blaming her for Keefe’s death, the defence lawyers tried to paint her as the victim in the case. The defence said that Keefe was killed inside Albert’s home and then dragged outside and left for dead, reported Washington Post.
They argued that investigators focused on Read because she was a “convenient outsider” who saved them from having to consider other suspects, including Albert and other law enforcement officers at the party.
After the prosecutors said that they will re-try, defense attorney Alan Jackson said, “They failed. They failed miserably, and they’ll continue to fail… No matter how long it takes, no matter how long they keep trying, we will not stop fighting,” AP reported.
The trial, which lasted for two months, centered around police procedures and the connections between those involved. Law enforcement officials admitted to gathering blood evidence using red plastic cups and attempting to remove snow to uncover evidence with a leaf blower. The primary investigator also confessed to sending inappropriate messages about Read from his mobile phone.
Read faced a charge of second-degree murder, which carries a potential life sentence with the possibility of parole in Massachusetts. Additionally, she was accused of lesser offenses, including manslaughter while driving under the influence, which is punishable by five to 20 years in prison, and fleeing the scene of a fatal accident, which can result in a sentence of up to 10 years.
